Memento Mori and Humaya Films Reviews

   I rarely get a chance to critique an independent film and it’s a real shame for a reason. They are the most treasured finds in the entertainment industry. Like NCAA football, it’s an ocean of talent at the peak of their potential struggling to create a wave and gain momentum towards a greater future. These studios and actors have the greatest advantage over big time studios because they have everything to gain and nothing to lose which is why these independent films are always a treat. In this case, it was the first short film by the beginning film studio Humaya Films.

   I was invited to review the film by Vivian Orozco who is the director and a producer of the film. After studying at Florida Atlantic University, she intends to release the film at the Sundance Film Festival and begin a lifelong career with Humaya Films. The presentation was well organized at The Classic Gateway Theater on Sunrise Blvd, Florida; it gave me much time to get to know the crew that was responsible for bringing the film together while at the same time keeping a distance to let them attend the guests. After the screening they arranged a wonderful after party at the Chill Wine Lounge which is right next to the theater with entertaining music performed by Karina Sky. Karina is a triple threat who owns her own website should anyone wants to arrange a performance.

   The film is titled Memento Mori, a 13 minute film about a woman remembering her life as she leaves it all behind on her way to her final home. While driving around with a professional driver, she takes him on a journey that reveals her past and it impacts his future. The elderly woman, Mrs. Sinclair is played by Alexa Baray, a young actress who brings all the emotion necessary to attach the audience to the film. You could see the sadness in her eyes as she was telling the story and her performance at the climax of the film brought out the tears to most of the people that attended the screening. The makeup to age her youth was done professionally by Ness Gomez Bloise with the help of Debra Hurd, the other producer and make-up supervisor who brings years of experience in the film industry to the studio.

   The young driver, played by Chris Montagne does a great job at trying to stay hidden from the camera and distant from his client whom he picks up in the film. His main moment in the climax of the film was very well delivered by showing the expected response one would receive in his situation. Overall, this is the first film Humaya has done and I strongly hope that this won’t be the last we see of this studio. Vivian Orozco should be very proud of the work she has done with the help of her crew. One member whom in particular did a great job was Vladimir Vasquez, he was in charge of editing, designing and picture quality.

   I had the pleasure of speaking with him and was nothing short of humble. He spoke of the hours he had spent with Humaya editing the film, doing graphic designs, and making sure every scene was done professionally and giving his director what was expected. Humaya Films offers much potential through great leadership and ambition, so with everyone wanting to continue working for Humaya, I can see a great future for the studio should they all persist. Memento Mori was a short but sweet first start and I would like to wish Humaya Films luck on the upcoming festival. Should anyone be interested, Humaya Films can be found on Facebook, be sure to like their page for upcoming events and information.

Castro to serve life with no parole. Justice?

   For those of my followers that may not know, Ariel Castro is a man accused (obviously guilty) of kidnapping 3 girls and holding them in captivity for over a decade. The girls were tortured, raped, and denied years of their lives they will never get back until they escaped and are now back with their families. Well now, Ariel Castro probably did the one decent thing he's done in this whole ordeal and accepted a plea deal that will deny him the death penalty but he will surely die in prison. The reason this is a mercy for his victims is that they get to avoid the trial. Now a lot of you may ask why is that so bad?
   Well here's the reason why, if there was to be a trial then the victims would've had to testify. Those poor girls would've had to to reveal a decade of dark and horrible details that we as civilized people wouldn't want to wish on anyone. We may know the details on paper and that's bad enough but to hear those victims tell there story, relieving every moment of horror from the torture their bodies received to the nights of sexual assaults. Emotional troma that will take years to help the girls move on with their lives from being forced to get pregnant and live in fear that everyday may be their last. One has to ask, how can somebody move on from such a nightmare.
   I can understand the outrage some may feel from this plea deal. I understand that they feel the punishment doesn't fit the crime but in the end, the victims are good with this deal and their opinions are the only ones that matter. Plus this man took these women when they were just kids and men like him don't last anyway in prison systems. They are considered the worst of the litter in a world of crooks, murders, and thieves. So whether he lives a full life in prison or he's killed by an inmate who is disgusted with what he is, justice is served. It's a victory that's long been needed for the image of the American Justice System.
   With trials that have been controversial such as the Casey Anthony trial and the recent Trayvon Martin trial, people just don't seem to believe this system works. But cases like this with Ariel Castro prove just how it does work. This man held 3 women against their will and now he will get the same treatment but now he'll be in a jungle around serious animals who will tear him to shreds the moment they can get away with it. Now he'll be the one with no rights and going to bed wondering if he'll wake up the next day. Now it's his turn to be afraid and he will remain afraid the rest of his life.

For Anyone That's Lost a Pet. From my ebook, "Madness in a Recession"

Storm

I can’t believe it’s done.

With the touch of a needle,

my best friend is gone.

Somehow, that same needle punctured

 my heart.

 

I got you when you were a pup.

And for 13 years, I saw you grow

into a beautiful pure black Labrador.

The kind you would see in a show.

 

There were great times,

like running alongside you early in the morning,

throwing the ball around the yard,

showing you off to everyone and bragging,

playing tug of war with the rope.

 

But there were bad times,

like you barking in the middle of the night.

Your barks would sound like thunder.

Not to mention the hours of life used

picking up after you went inside the house.

 

But this moment is the worst.

When I realized that your time was coming,

I knew what I had to do, but I didn’t like it.

But I loved you too much

 to see you suffer.

 

I hope I did some good in staying with you

in that silent, ice-cold room

and talking to you so you wouldn’t hear

that silence till the end.

 

 

Oh, how I cried when I looked into your eyes

and told you “I’ll be seeing you again.”

I wonder if you knew what was coming.

Either way, I hope you knew my heart broke

for the first time that day.

 

I lost my first best friend.

His name was Storm.

And he was the best dog in the world

hands down.

Be Yourself. Yeah Right!

  Since childhood we're tought many things that we carry on in life such as nobody likes a tattle tale and treat everyone as equals but the most important lesson, be ourselves. Let's take a deep breath and face the mirror though, we're rarely ourselves most of the day. Unless you have money or you have no care for life, we are always putting on a show for someone like a clown in a circus. Whether it's a boss at work, a person on a date you meet online, or just hanging around with friends after a hard day at work. There's a reason we say, "You can never really know someone."
  Now I do understand why we do have to put on a show. We need a job to support ourselves, we need to impress the person that we are on a date with, and you don't want to be the buzz kill when hanging out with the friends. Why do we have to put ourselves through this peer pressure? Society as a whole preaches people to be unique but at the end of the day, we are anything but. From a construction worker to a C.E.O. of a corporation, we all put on a uniform and create an alternate version of you to secure society's insecurities.  If you can find me one husband that tells me he acts the same way around his friends as he does with his wife, I would tell you that you found a liar.
   Shakespeare wrote, "To thy own self be true" but will all due respect, that's old school and we live in a new world where people need to be brave. If we are telling our children to be unique then we need to set the example. If we are so special we need to share it with everyone and not just keep it to ourselves. Let's truly be ourselves all the time with everyone and it'll be a great day in this world when someone can walk up to another person and say, "Hello, I was looking at your body and I would really love to take you home and have sex with you just for one night." Then that person would just laugh and reply, "Sorry, I have standards and you don't fit them but have a good day."
   I know it seems cold but at the same time, isn't it better than avoiding the bull? Wouldn't it be better if the boss treated the workers like adults who can handle the truth and say yeah we're cutting your bonus because we want to save money? I just want a world where people don't have to give transparent truths hiding selfish intentions. I'm aware of how I look and acknowledge the people I hang out with and work for. I am a full grown human being and I want to be treated as such, not a child that are denied truths from the parents.

Everyone is Judged.

Casting the Stone

By

Anthony Labson

 

As I walk up to the only gates that matter

I see three souls stuck in the clouds.

To my amazement,

They were sad, crying.

 

I thought it was because of the ones they left behind.

Their wives, children, and beloved friends

and the memories they spent with them.

But that’s not it. The souls appeared to have steam rising from their clothes.

I feared the worse for them.

 

I walk up to Him and I say,

“Hello, it’s been a long time coming.

May I ask why are they there and not joining me

in paradise?”

 

He says, “They thought themselves innocent.

They threw stones that started

 building a foundation

that lead them to their damnation.

 

The first one is guilty of Murder.

No he did not kill his parents for money or his

best friend for his wife.

His killing spree started with ants, using the sun

to burn them and it didn’t end there.

 

Many animals followed, some were for sport,

others because he believed they had no value.

Pitting them against each other for money

or running over them on the street even though

he had time to stop and let them go.

All life is precious no matter how big or small

in size and purpose.

 

The second one is guilty of Baring False Witness.

He believed himself pure of faith and resented

all those who didn’t have the same conviction.

He memorized every line, he attended every ceremony,

He spent more time reading the word but

not understanding the meaning of the word.

He soon became consumed by that one fault.

 

The corrupted that followed would

be safe from his wrath and those

who would have the courage to stay innocent,

The scars he inflicted will now be measured unto

him.

 

The final one is guilty of Stealing.

No he didn’t steal a candy bar from a vendor

or a man’s prom date.

He stole homes and he stole futures hiding it

behind promise of progress.

 

He mentioned so much that could be gained,

before those who would gain great loss could fight back,

everything was already gone.

He claimed to be making better homes

and better neighborhoods but while he

reap the rewards of his new design,

hundreds were left out in the cold.

 

Unable to move back in those expensive new homes,

they now suffered in the streets while those

who already had homes took up more space.

Money isn’t the only thing that can be stolen

and here it has no value compared to a life.

 

That is why they wait for damnation.

They believed themselves without sin

and constantly kept throwing stones.

Now those stones will weigh them down into the inferno.”

 

My mind is full with fear now.

“Well then I won’t waste your time, I am guilty of such sins too.

I hunted deer in the season, I’m not the most devoted,

and I have stolen from time to time.

Sometimes it was a candy bar and sometimes it was more.”

 

He says, “But you never hid it.

You can admit your sins unto me

and that counts for something.

Now have a seat and let us begin.”

Superman/Batman movie coming in 2015!

   I know as a professional I'm not suppose to take sides, but as a Superman fan, I can't wait to see this epic collision of powerful icons. It's no secret that comic fans have been waiting for certain superheroes to make their appearance on the big screen. But since the arrival of Marvel's The Avengers, fans have been wanting even more for their favorite heroes to come together for one spectacular movie. Marvel has delivered on their end and now it's time for DC comics to step up their game with the legendary icons. It's been a long time coming and something sure to break box office records.
   There are big lines in the sand when it comes to whose the best superhero in which universe and blood has been spilt over such arguments. But there's no denying that the pair of the Man of Steel and The Dark Knight stand arguably as the strongest unit in the comic universe. They've come together multiple times in comics and cartoons but in 2015, we will finally see them come together. Henry Cavill will be returning as Superman along with Amy Adams as Lois Lane but there is no word yet on who will be replacing Christian Bale as Batman. Whom ever it is, he will have a lot to make up for.
   Christian Bale is considered arguably the best Batman ever so to the actor chosen, he will already have a shadow cast over him and not in a good way. Batman fans were upset enough by the fact that Bale would not return to play the Dark Knight so this will make the decision hard enough for the character but even more now for the duo known to comic fans as World's Finest. Superman and Batman are considered polar opposites of each other which makes them work so fluently and powerful. Superman representing the ideals of truth and justice, always being the optimistic and believer that there is good in everyone. Batman on the other hand, using his own brand of justice by using fear to deter villains and takes a dark and more realistic approach.
   Superman has always been hated by batman fans because of the fact that he has all the powers and can't seem to be beaten by force. Batman has always been hated by Superman fans because of his over the top intelligence and unlimited resources. Now we'll see if Zack Snyder can bring these to groups together to make box office history. No matter who you love, no matter who you hate, The World's Finest is coming in 2015 along with the announced Avengers 2: Age of Ultron. Which collaboration are you going to go see?

From Motown to Broke town.

   Once a symbol of American pride, now a broken image of a former golden city. Detroit has recently filed for bankruptcy making it very clear that the Motor City has run out of gas and needs new parts. The city that was once wide known for being the auto capital of the country grew in popularity in the 1960s as companies such as GM and Chrysler started producing machines that would bring profits to the city. More fortune would follow with the creation of the very popular record label Motown but somewhere down the line, the city started a downward spiral that lead the city to this tragic point in American history.
   Detroit slowly became known for darker elements such as violent gang wars, low job growth, and recently bone crushing poverty. Today the population barely reaches 800,000 as people are fleeing the dying city in search for better opportunity both in jobs and lifestyle. With the debt celling through the roof and millions in bonds that are now worth as much as toilet paper, it's clear now that only a miracle can help the city. Now we lead to the big question, what's next for the city and the country as a whole? I know Americans don't want to hear it considering there already was a bailout a few years ago but in this obvious case, it's more than likely that there may be a bailout in the possible future.
   Now that the federal government is going to take charge, it's more than likely that taxpayers will be dealt another blow. We can go on and on about whose to blame but in the end it's useless to argue and irrelevant. While some see this as a tragedy, I see this as opportunity because for something to get better, it has to hit rock bottom. Perhaps now is the time for Detroit to rise with a little help from it's neighbors and in doing so, a golden city may be reborn. Detroit is not just a city it's a landmark, so let's band together before it becomes a land fill.